Maxime got an offer from Medtronic
How do you prepare for life after university, or ‘working life’? Among other things, by participating in workshops at companies in the region through UM’s Master Yourself programme. And although the primary goal is personal development, it can sometimes result in an internship. Or a job. Maxime Heyndrickx (master's student in Public Policy & Human Development) shares his story.
Why Maxime came to UM
“After completing a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in History in Belgium, I didn’t really know what I wanted. A friend told me about this master’s programme. It was a great choice, also because I quickly realised that this university invests a lot in preparing students for the labour market.”
Master Yourself is a project of the Maastricht University Student Employability Initiative (in cooperation with UM Career Services) and aims to prepare our graduating Master students for entering the job market in the best possible way. Students are offered the unique chance to attend workshops and masterclasses at renowned companies and organizations in the Euregion. Together with mastering new valuable skills, they get the chance to expand their network and get an inside look at how these companies run their businesses. More information is available on the project website.
- The next workshops will take place in April and May 2018
- Some have been fully booked two months in advance
- 14 companies and organisations will take part
- For one workshop in Brussels, a bigger bus had to be hired due to huge student demand
- Only this year already 150 students registered for more than 370 workshops
How Maxime became an ambassador for Master Yourself
“I get bored pretty quickly, so it’s good that I stay busy. I signed up for the honours programme here and was then also referred to Master Yourself. After my studies, I would like to work in consultancy. From my history background, it’s quite a long bridge to build and I see Master Yourself as one of the pillars under that bridge. As an ambassador, I help organise the sessions, I mentor students, I visit companies and more. It’s great work experience.”
How Maxime got a job offer from Medtronic
“One of the workshops that I participated in myself was at Medtronic in Heerlen. The vice president of IT was also there, which I thought was great. In groups of four, we worked on a business case involving a digital platform, and they had said that the group with the best idea would be invited for an interview. Because we all did different studies, we complemented each other very well in my group. Our idea really opened Medtronic’s eyes to the possibilities of the platform, they said. A week later, they called with an offer.”
Why Maxime turned that offer down
“We could continue working on the same project through an internship and if that went well, a job offer would follow. One of my group members is going to do that. But I’m more going for a consultancy job in Brussels anyway, so although I felt very honoured, I declined.”
And what has he gained from the experience
“Before Master Yourself, I had no prior experience with company contacts, networks, business cases and the like. I’m currently applying for jobs now and then, and I notice that it runs much more smoothly. You’ve been inside a few companies, you’ve experienced different cultures. If I have to solve a business case, I can go back to what I learned from Medtronic, also from my fellow students. Partly because of this, I will soon be interviewed at a highly regarded consultancy firm.”
Finally: Maxime’s motto
“If you’re motivated and take hold of the opportunities that arise, such as Master Yourself, you can build a bridge in the right place and with the right tools.”
Also read about how Samantha got an ING internship through Master Yourself
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